Indonesian court rules president negligent over air pollution

In a landmark lawsuit, an Indonesian court has ruled that President Joko Widodo and six other top officials have neglected to fulfill citizens’ rights to clean air. The plaintiffs, who included activists and members from WALHI, public figures, and people suffering pollution-related diseases, demanded more robust supervision and sanctions for polluters. Jakarta has 10 million residents and is ranked one of the worst cities in the world air quality in the world. The court ordered President Jokowi to “tighten the national air quality standards so that they are sufficient to protect people’s health, the environment and the ecosystem, including the health of sensitive groups within the population, in line with scientific and technological developments.”